Lagos State Commissioner of Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef, has harped on the need for Muslims and all righteous people in Nigeria to participate actively in the political arena, otherwise the nation would not experience ideal democracy which would bring the desired social-economic development, infrastructural growth, prosperity and happiness.

While speaking on “Morality, the Missing Element in Nigerian Politics” at a Ramadan lecture organized by Yaba College of Technology, Muslims Alumni Association, “the people who have the fear of Allah, knowledgeable, righteous and have all it takes to govern and put things right, remain apathetic and disinterested, abandoning the political landspace to those who are there for selfish desires and personal gains.”

He said that “the vast majority of those who are active in politics today do not fear Allah”, as they are there for business – cannot keep promises and would not be able to bring the necessary changes for which the masses clamor. Indeed, they cannot give what they do not have. He said further: “It is for this reason that as blessed and favored as Nigeria is, with abundant human and mineral resources including petroleum and gas, clement weather and extremely good arable land, the country has continued to lag behind in virtually everything because most people are unmindful of the bounties of Allah, ungrateful of Allah’s abundance of blessings and made wrong all what Allah has made right for them”.

By their own hands therefore, people have brought untoward circumstances to reign and allowed all manner of vices such as terrorism, kidnapping, unemployment, inflation, fear, disillusionment, apathy and hunger to prevail.

The commissioner strongly advised that righteous individuals should fully participate in politics, contest for elective positions and support the people with the fear of God through their voices and votes, so that the people would actually experience the favourable consequences of their actions.

Making reference to Quran 16 verse 11, he said that “the Almighty Allah will not change the condition of the people until they themselves see the evil they have brought upon themselves and reverse the trend by being upright.

He stated that the participation of God-fearing people “is paramount”, and that if we must achieve the desired results, Muslims must move away from their current state of disinterestedness in politics, take leading roles in this regard, contest, support and elect those who fear Allah and those with the necessary qualifications, attitude, love and care to lead and govern, adding that we cannot continue to be disenchanted and expect different result. Mosques are more than polling centres in Nigeria, and Muslims must use these channels to propagate the required knowledge and importance of political participation, he advised.

He said that Muslims, must operate from “the manual” (Holy Quran) which would provide the required knowledge before they “can be effective leaders at home, work place and political arena and do the right things”.

This should begin with the knowledge of Qur’an, the manual for human guidance, otherwise man can neither be righteous nor lead righteously. In Nigeria, most politicians and indeed the people were bereft of these qualities to provide righteous and effective leadership.

While pondering the fact that highest levels of qualifications and very high standards are set for entry into reputable professions, employments in big corporations and top positions in blue-chip businesses and industrial entities, lowest moral standards and qualification requirements currently apply to elective political positions.

He charged Muslims to demand and support people with the highest levels of qualifications and requirements, and in doing so, give priority to those with the fear of Allah.He said that Ramadan is about Takwa or the fear of Allah, adding that it should not be viewed mainly as abstinence from food and other pleasures but application of all what is pure and just as decreed. Opportunities, he said, abound in Nigeria and if activated, would usher in a new era of accelerated developments and appropriate democratic practices. The Nigerian Muslims must therefore “think out of the box”, give good values, show transparency and honesty to strengthen family, social, religious and political institutions.